You’ve probably walked past it a thousand times if you work in the Loop. It’s that massive, storied block at the corner of LaSalle and Madison. 10 S LaSalle Chicago IL isn't just another office tower; it’s a living museum of how Chicago does business. Honestly, the building feels like a bridge between two worlds. On one hand, you have the gorgeous, intricate masonry of the original five-story Otis Building base. On the other, there's the 37-story blue-glass expansion that shot up in the late 1980s.
It’s weird. Most buildings pick a lane. They’re either historic landmarks or sleek glass boxes. This one? It decided to be both.
What Makes 10 South LaSalle Actually Different?
The Loop is full of "zombie office buildings" these days, but 10 S LaSalle keeps people talking because it represents the weirdest era of Chicago architecture. When Moriyama & Teshima worked on the redesign alongside Holabird & Root, they didn't just tear down the old 1911 structure. They gutted it. They kept the facade of the Otis Building—which was a classic Chicago School design—and then basically grew a skyscraper out of the middle of it.
People call it "facadism." Some architects hate it. They think it’s a cheap compromise. But for a tenant looking for commercial real estate in the Chicago Loop, it creates this unique vibe where the lobby feels like a piece of history, yet the floor plates are modern and efficient.
The building spans roughly 781,000 square feet. That is a lot of cubicles.
Historically, this was the territory of law firms and financial consultants. If you were anybody in the 90s, you wanted a LaSalle Street address. It meant stability. It meant you were close to the Board of Trade. Today, the vibe is shifting. With the rise of the Fulton Market District pulling tech companies away from the central core, 10 S LaSalle is fighting to stay relevant. It’s doing a pretty decent job of it, mostly through aggressive amenity upgrades.
The Financial Reality of the LaSalle Street Corridor
Let’s be real for a second. The LaSalle Street corridor has been through it lately. Ever since the pandemic, occupancy rates in the Central Loop have been a bit of a roller coaster. You’ve got huge vacancies in nearby buildings, and even 10 S LaSalle hasn't been immune to the shifts in how we work.
💡 You might also like: New Zealand currency to AUD: Why the exchange rate is shifting in 2026
In recent years, the building has seen some drama. It was owned by The Feil Organization, a heavy hitter in New York real estate. But like many properties in the area, it faced a foreclosure suit a couple of years back. It’s a common story in 2026: high interest rates and lower office demand put a squeeze on even the most iconic addresses.
But here is the thing.
The city of Chicago isn’t just letting LaSalle Street die. There is this massive "LaSalle Street Reimagined" initiative. While 10 S LaSalle wasn't part of the first wave of residential conversions (like some of its neighbors), its proximity to those projects makes it more valuable. When you turn old offices into apartments, the remaining office buildings suddenly become "the office next door" to where people live. That’s a game changer for the lifestyle of a commuter.
Inside 10 S LaSalle: Amenities and Modern Perks
If you’re looking at this place for a business, you aren't just looking at the bricks. You're looking at the perks. They’ve poured money into making the fourth floor a hub for tenants.
- The Fitness Center: It’s not just a treadmill in a basement. It’s a full-on gym with locker rooms and showers. Essential for those who bike to work.
- The Tenant Lounge: Think high-end coffee shop vibes. It’s where people go when they’re sick of their desks but can’t quite leave the building yet.
- The Conference Center: Huge rooms for those "all-hands" meetings that everyone secretly hates but has to attend anyway.
The floor plates are about 23,000 square feet. That’s a sweet spot. It’s big enough for a mid-sized headquarters but not so massive that a smaller firm feels lost in a sea of gray carpet.
The views? Depending on which side you’re on, they’re classic Chicago. You’re looking at the canyons of LaSalle. It’s that "Batman" aesthetic—dark stone, deep shadows, and the constant hum of the L train nearby. It’s moody. It’s professional.
📖 Related: How Much Do Chick fil A Operators Make: What Most People Get Wrong
Is the LaSalle Street Address Still Worth It?
There’s a misconception that LaSalle is "dead." It’s not dead; it’s just transitioning.
Ten years ago, you had to be here. Now, you choose to be here. 10 S LaSalle appeals to the firm that wants to be near the courts, the government buildings, and the transit hubs. If you’re a law firm specializing in litigation, being a five-minute walk from the Daley Center is worth more than a ping-pong table in a trendy West Loop warehouse.
Efficiency is the name of the game here. The building has a LEED Gold certification. In an era where ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) scores actually matter to corporate boards, that’s not just a sticker on the window. It’s a requirement for many blue-chip tenants.
The Logistics: Getting There and Staying Fed
One thing people forget about 10 S LaSalle is how easy it is to actually get to. You’re basically sitting on top of the "Loop" L tracks. The Washington/Wells station is a stone's throw away. Brown, Purple, Orange, and Pink lines—basically every color of the rainbow—are right there.
Lunch options?
- Revival Food Hall: Just a few blocks south. It’s the gold standard for office lunches.
- The Wells Street Corridor: Plenty of quick-service spots if you’re in a rush between meetings.
- Classic Steakhouses: You’ve still got the old-school power lunch spots within walking distance if you need to close a deal over a very expensive piece of meat.
Future Outlook: What’s Next for 10 S LaSalle?
The building is currently in a state of flux, much like the rest of the Chicago office market. We are seeing a "flight to quality." This means tenants are leaving older, dingier buildings and moving into "Class A" spaces like 10 S LaSalle.
👉 See also: ROST Stock Price History: What Most People Get Wrong
The big question is whether the owner will continue to lean into the office model or if we’ll eventually see a mix of uses. Some experts, like those at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) or Cushman & Wakefield, have noted that the "B" and "C" class buildings in the Loop are the ones most at risk. 10 S LaSalle sits in that weird "A-minus" or "B-plus" category. It’s nice. It’s well-maintained. But it’s competing with the brand-new glass towers at Wolf Point and along the river.
Success for 10 S LaSalle depends on flexibility.
We’re seeing more "spec suites"—pre-built offices where a company can just show up with their laptops and start working the same day. No three-month build-out. No arguing over paint colors. This "plug and play" model is exactly what the modern, post-2024 business wants.
Why You Should Care
If you're a business owner, 10 S LaSalle represents one of the best value-to-prestige ratios in the city. You get the LaSalle Street clout without the astronomical rents of the newer Salesforce Tower or 110 North Wacker.
If you're an architecture nerd, it's a fascinating study in how Chicago preserves its past while hurtling toward the future.
Actionable Insights for Potential Tenants
If you are considering 10 S LaSalle for your next office move, keep these things in mind:
- Audit your space needs: Don't over-rent. With 23,000-square-foot plates, see if a partial floor makes more sense in a hybrid work world.
- Leverage the "LaSalle Reimagined" momentum: Mention the neighborhood's residential growth when recruiting talent—the area is becoming more than just a 9-to-5 zone.
- Test the tech: Ensure the fiber connectivity meets your specific needs; the building has modern infrastructure, but it's always worth a "stress test" during a walkthrough.
- Negotiate on amenities: Don't just look at the rent per square foot. Ask for bundled access to the conference centers or fitness memberships as part of your lease package.
The building at 10 South LaSalle isn't going anywhere. It’s survived market crashes, a massive vertical expansion, and a global shift in work culture. It stands as a testament to the fact that in Chicago, we don't just tear things down—we build on top of them.